arts in the city / Freedom songs from Soweto

AFTER the death of Nelson Mandela, the Soweto Gospel Choir participated in commemoration services around the world, not least the televised memorial service held in Soweto. Now the choir will be at the Canberra Theatre on Thursday, July 10. A section of the concert will be dedicated to freedom songs and some of Mandela’s favourite hymns. Bookings to 6275 2700 or canberratheatrecentre.com.au

THE Worldly Goods Choir and Canberra Mandolin Orchestra, aided and abetted by Shortis and Simpson, will join traditional music from the Old World with Henry Lawson, Freddie Mercury and “Aeroplane Jelly” at StringSing, Belconnen Arts Centre, 5pm, Sunday, July 6. John Shortis has even written a theme song that begins: “When it comes to a beautiful fake lake/ It’s you that takes the cake/ Lake Ginninderra”.

Hoffmann Winds… High Court, July 6.

GEOFF Grey, who directs the Hoffmann Winds & the Hoffmann Brass (named after the late music critic William Hoffmann), has come up with a fetching title for the free concert at 1pm on July 6 at the High Court – “Legally High”.

MANNING Clark House is abuzz with plans for an exhibition of new work by Mirka Mora, one of the few remaining figures from the great days of art in Melbourne. I wonder if her old friend Barbara Blackman will drop in on the opening at 11 Tasmania Circle, Forrest, 4pm, on Sunday, July 6. Bookings to info@manningclark.org.au or 6295 1808.

CONGRATULATIONS to Belconnen Arts Centre’s Philip Piggin, who has won a Churchill Fellowship to take him to England and the US to develop skills in teaching dance to people with Parkinson’s.

THE National Film and Sound Archive’s CEO Michael Loebenstein will pitch the archive’s vision, key principles and a draft strategic plan to industry professionals and the general public in a feedback session at the NFSA Theatrette from 9am on July 7. Email rsvp@nfsa.gov.au with your name and contact details.

AS we predicted, the DVD is now out of the Sandra France and Helen Nourse bushfire opera, “From a Black Sky”, which premiered at The Street last year. Great Canberra voices and instruments and also a documentary of the making of the opera. Orders to sandrafrance.com